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Papers by Ali Boularbah

Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

Geoderma

The pivotal role of soil as a resource is not fully appreciated by the general public. Improving ... more The pivotal role of soil as a resource is not fully appreciated by the general public. Improving education in soil science represents a challenge in a world where soil resources are under serious threat. Today’s high school students, the world’s future landowners, agriculturalists, and decision makers, have the potential to change society’s apathy towards soils issues. This research aimed to compare the level of soil education in high and/or secondary schools in forty-three countries worldwide, together comprising 62% of the world’s population. Comparisons were made between soil science content discussed in educationally appropriate textbooks via a newly proposed soil information coefficient (SIC). Interviews with teachers were undertaken to better understand how soil science education is implemented in the classroom. Statistical analyses were investigated using clustering. Results showed that gaps in soil science education were most commonly observed in countries where soil science is a non-compulsory or optional subject. Soil science concepts are predominantly a part of geography or environmental science curricula. Consequently, considerable variability in soil science education systems among investigated countries exists. Soil information coefficient‘s outcomes demonstrated that a methodological approach combining textbooks and the use of modern digitally based strategies in the educational process significantly improved soil education performances. Overall, soil science education is under-represented in schools worldwide. Dynamic new approaches are needed to improve pivotal issues such as: i) promoting collaborations and agreements between high school and universities; ii) encouraging workshops and practical exercises such as field activities; and, iii) implementing technology tools. This, in turn, will prepare the next generation to contribute meaningfully towards solving present and future soil problems.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2016

Soil heavy metal contamination resulting from mining activities constitutes a major environmental... more Soil heavy metal contamination resulting from mining activities constitutes a major environmental problem worldwide. The spread of heavy metals is often facilitated by scarce vegetation cover, so there is an urgent need to improve plant survival and establishment in these metalliferous areas. This study is aimed at the isolation and analysis of the phylogenetic relationship of culturable bacteria from the rhizosphere of metallophyte plants growing in the Kettara mine, in Marrakech, in order to select plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), which could be used in assistedphytoremediation. Bacterial isolates were grouped by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Strains were further characterized for the production of plant growth-promoting (PGP) substances, such as NH 3 , siderophores, indol-3-acetic acid (IAA), hydrogen cyanide, and extracellular enzymes, for ACC-deaminase activity, their capacity to solubilize phosphate, and for their tolerance to heavy metals and acidic pH. Rhizosphere soils were highly contaminated with Cu and Zn and presented low fertility. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the rhizobacteria were affiliated to three major groups: γ-Proteobacteria (48 %), β-Proteobacteria (17 %), and Bacilli (17 %). The most represented genera were Pseudomonas (38 %), Bacillus (10 %), Streptomyces (10 %), and Tetrathiobacter (10 %). Overall, rhizobacterial strains showed an ability to produce multiple, important PGP traits, which may be helpful when applied as plant growth promoter agents in contaminated soils. PGPR were also able to withstand high levels of metals (up to 2615.2 mg Zn l −1 , 953.29 mg Cu l −1 , and 1124.6 mg Cd l −1) and the order of metal toxicity was Cd > Cu > Zn. The rhizobacterial strains isolated in the present study have the potential to be used as efficient bioinoculants in phytoremediation strategies for the recovery of Kettara mine soils.

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 1999

Die Bodenkultur: Journal of Land Management, Food and Environment, 2017

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 1, 2012

Soil Systems, 2022

The mining industry is of major importance to Morocco’s economy. However, the abandoned pyritic m... more The mining industry is of major importance to Morocco’s economy. However, the abandoned pyritic mines are a source of potentially toxic elements that can cause the disruption of the surrounding ecosystems, constituting a huge threat to wellbeing and human health. The present study aimed to analyze the physical and chemical characteristics of different types of tailings and to investigate the microbial populations of acidophilic bacteria involved in the oxidation of pyrite. Coarse and fine tailings collected from different zones of the mine (dike and pond) at two different depths (oxidized and non-oxidized residues) were analyzed for their pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, available P, major elements, and pseudo-total metal concentrations. The abundance of acidophilic bacteria was determined, and some acidophilic bacterial strains were isolated and tested for their metal tolerance. Tailings showed a pH ≈ 2, very low nutritional content, and high conce...

The science of Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas (SUITMAs) is an int... more The science of Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas (SUITMAs) is an interdisciplinary branch of investigation within the general topic of soil science. It has its origin in several fields such as soil survey, pollution and health impacts, green infrastructure, storm and sewage drainage, and urban planning (Burghardt et al., 2015). As soil science in comparison to other scientific disciplines is relatively young, and the acknowledgment of the science of SUITMAS is even younger. In the mid-1980s, more and more soil scientists started to work in urban areas worldwide. During the 16th World Congress of Soil Science(16 WCSS), the International WG Urban Soils – Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic and Mining Areas (WG SU/SUITMA) of the ISSS was founded at August 20th, 1998 in Montpellier France. WG SUITMA recently established website: https://sites.google.com/site/wgsuitma/. It will be a platform to share knowledge about technogenic and anthropogenic soils and to exchange important information about it. It also will be a place of intercommunication and establishment of cooperation and to promote knowledge about SUITMAs as well

Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2021

Tailings are generally characterized by severe physicochemical conditions that limit the establis... more Tailings are generally characterized by severe physicochemical conditions that limit the establishment of vegetation. The present study aimed to select suitable combinations of organo-mineral amendments to improve the physicochemical, biochemical, and biological properties of spolic technosols, highly contaminated with metals. Several substrates were prepared by mixing mine tailings (MT) of an abandoned mining area with non-contaminated agricultural soil (anthrosol), green waste compost, lime, and rock phosphate at different rates: S1 — 50% of MT + 50% of agricultural soil; S2 — S1 + 3% of lime (CaCO3); S3 — S1 + 6% of rock phosphate; S4 — S1 + 10% of compost; S5 — S1 + 10% of compost + 3% of lime; S6 — S1 + 10% of compost + 6% of rock phosphate. Untreated MT and agricultural soil were analyzed immediately, and 8 months after incorporating the amendments. Heterotrophic microorganisms were not recovered from untreated MT due to the highly acidic pH and available metal concentrations. However, the addition of organo-mineral amendments ameliorated the tailings’ characteristics by increasing pH, conductivity, total organic carbon, and available P levels. Moreover, after 8 months, heterotrophic microorganisms were recovered from those substrates and dehydrogenase activity was enhanced. The incorporation of agricultural soil and green waste compost mixed either with lime (S5) or rock phosphate (S6) was the most effective treatment. Both S5 and S6 mixtures successfully reduced the environmental risk posed by tailings, suggesting the potential use of these amendments for the remediation of pyrite mines.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2020

In recent decades, the increasing number of degraded lands worldwide makes their rehabilitation e... more In recent decades, the increasing number of degraded lands worldwide makes their rehabilitation essential and crucial. Various techniques have emerged to fulfill these needs but most of them are expensive and difficult to be applied. Revegetation is a cost effective, environmental friendly, and aesthetically pleasing approach suitable for degraded areas. However, the use of edible crops, especially for areas with heavy metals (HM) contamination, is not ecologically suitable because the HM may enter the food chain. Alternatively, non-edible, fast-growing, deep-rooting, and metal-stabilizing plants with high biomass, which can produce high-value products hold a great potential and have been regarded as potential candidates of edible crops. This current review presents the benefits of using aromatic and medicinal plants (AMPs) and their associated microorganisms for revegetation of degraded sites as they are high-value economic crops. We discussed the effect of various stress on productivity of secondary metabolites in AMPs in addition to the potential health risk with human consumption of these plants and their products. A focus was also given to the effect of HM stress on the essential oil (EO) content of certain AMPs. Reported data showed that AMPs growing on HM-contaminated soils are safe products to use as they are not significantly contaminated themselves by HM.

Silicon, 2021

A local perlite mineral (P1) was used to remove the industrial dyes Remazole Brilliant 19 (RB19) ... more A local perlite mineral (P1) was used to remove the industrial dyes Remazole Brilliant 19 (RB19) and Drimarene Yellow (YD) from an aqueous solution. Prior to any investigation, P1 was characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, and electrophoretic mobility in order to establish the adsorption behavior-properties relationship. We used a sequential methodology of factorial design of experiments (DOE) and response surface methodology (RSM) to evaluate experimental variables that influence the adsorption process. Under optimal conditions, removals of RB19 and YD were achieved at respectively 95% and 88%. The validity of the process was justified by the values of three statistical indicators: Fisher’s high value (F = 58.79 for RB19, F = 34.82 for YD), the probability P (P ≤ 0.001 for DY and RB19) and the coefficient of determination R2 (0.9674 for YD and 0.9821 for RB19). The mass transfer of RB19 and YD at the solution/adsorbent interface was described using a pseudo-second-order rate law. The adsorption process for RB19 was endothermic, while it is exothermic for YD. The phyto-toxicity was also investigated to evaluate the toxicity level of YD and RB19 before and after sorption on P1 material. Overall P1 is very attractive as an efficient, low-cost and eco-friendly sorbent for the remediation of hazardous organic pollutants in industrial effluents.

Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly method for rehabilitation of mine tailing using plants and th... more Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly method for rehabilitation of mine tailing using plants and their associated rhizosphere microorganisms. Some heavy metal and salt-tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could be beneficial in alleviating soil salinity and heavy metal stress. The aim of this work is to select PGPR that could be used in phytoremediation process. Twenty-nine rhizobacteria were examined for their ability to grow at increasing concentrations of NaCl and high concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd. The results showed that seventeen rhizobacteria displayed high salinity and metal tolerance (up to 100g L− 1 NaCl, up to 5 mM Cd, 9 mM Pb, 10 mM Zn, and Cu up to 6 mM). This work showed also that salinity and metallic stress has affected bacterial growth and metabolism by increasing intracellular proline, soluble sugars, free amino-acids and exopolysaccharides production. Moreover, almost all tested bacteria maintained their PGP traits under 10 % of NaCl and multi-...

CATENA, 2020

Abstract The public green space (PGS) in urban areas presents an image of nature and its animal a... more Abstract The public green space (PGS) in urban areas presents an image of nature and its animal and plant biodiversity in the city. Due to intense urbanization in the world, pollutants such as trace elements (TE) or pathogenic microorganisms are continually emitted into the environment and pose a threat to ecosystems. The aim of this work was to assess the soil quality of PGS in the cities of Marrakech (Morocco) and Torun (Poland) through physicochemical and microbiological approaches and to assess related health risks. Eighteen soils from the most visited historic parks in Marrakech and Torun were sampled and analyzed. The results showed that content of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in Torun urban soils is about three times higher than that measured in Marrakech urban park soils. These differences are related to the naturally higher content of organic matter in the soils of temperate climate regions than in Mediterranean soils. The concentrations of trace element (TE) showed a similar trend in both cities, except for Pb in one Marrakech site, which exhibited a high concentration (400 mg Pb Kg−1 in Bab Rab Park). Soil enzymes present a high sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbances and can be used as tool to evaluate early disturbance of urban soils. The alkaline phosphatase (APHa) and urease (URa) activities are less affected by anthropogenic pressure than dehydrogenase (DHa). Slight sensitivity to TE was observed in the microbial community in the order fungi

Environmental Earth Sciences, 2019

The present work aims to investigate the toxicity of heavy metals in soil samples collected from ... more The present work aims to investigate the toxicity of heavy metals in soil samples collected from the vicinity of the former Pb–Zn mine of Jebel Ghozlane and to evaluate reprocessing performances of mine tailings. The research was undertaken using two ecotoxicity tests: (1) MetPAD™ biotest Kit and (2) standardized germination test using wheat seeds (Triticum durum). Water extraction test was carried out to evaluate the potential availability of Pb, Zn and Cd in soil samples. Although their total levels in soil were found to be high, their water extracted values were relatively low (Pb 7–100 µg L−1, Zn 15–238 µg L−1 and Cd 1–5 µg L−1). The high germination percentages (GPs) of wheat seeds indicate that all soil samples tested are not toxic. However, the toxicity of soil–water extracts, as determined by MetPAD™ biotest which is specific for heavy metal toxicity, showed that two of six soil samples exhibited moderate toxicity. The toxicity was related to the relatively high concentrations of water-extractable Zn, Pb and Cd in these two samples. Laboratory flotation tests were used to evaluate the separation ability of Pb and Zn minerals from the mine tailings materials. Results showed that this method allows satisfactory reduction of Pb (95% recovery) and, to a less extent, of Zn (42% recovery) from mine tailings, that could be used as a mitigation strategy for heavy-metal contaminated soil.

Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2018

In this note we provide a characterization of ordered Bell polynomials and its type B analog by u... more In this note we provide a characterization of ordered Bell polynomials and its type B analog by using a family of differential operator associated with tangent function.

Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2019

Purpose Mining areas are low-quality habitats for macro- and microorganisms’ development, mainly ... more Purpose Mining areas are low-quality habitats for macro- and microorganisms’ development, mainly due to the degradation of the soil quality by metal pollution. The present work aimed to analyze the influence of metal contamination and of plant species on the rhizospheric microbial communities of four indigenous metallophytes ( Ononis natrix , Haloxylon scoparium, Peganum harmala , and Aizoon canariense ) growing along a metal contamination gradient in Kettara mine near Marrakech, Morocco. Materials and methods In pyrrhotite mining areas (Kettara mine, Morocco), rhizosphere soil samples were collected from four predominant indigenous metallophytes ( O. natrix , H. scoparium , P. harmala , and A. canariense ) growing along a metal contamination gradient (ZC, control zone; Z1, high metal contamination; Z2, moderate metal contamination; Z3, low metal contamination). Microbial communities were analyzed by using microbial counts and by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The physicochemical properties (pH, conductivity, total organic carbon, nitrogen, P Olsen, and metal concentrations) of soils were also determined. Results and discussion The physicochemical analysis revealed that rhizospheric soils from Z1, Z2, and Z3 were relatively poor in nutrients as they presented low levels of total organic carbon and nitrogen, organic matter and available P. Moreover, these rhizospheric soils showed high concentrations of metals, especially Cu and Pb, which significantly reduced the abundance of the different groups of soil microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes) and the activity of soil dehydrogenase. The analysis of bacterial communities by DGGE revealed that bacterial diversity was not negatively affected by metal contamination being higher in the most contaminated area (Z1). Conclusions Overall, the microbial abundance, the composition, and the diversity of rhizospheric bacterial communities were more influenced by the environmental factors in sampling zones than by plant cover. Microbial counts and enzymatic activity were both systematically affected throughout the metal gradient, evidencing as good indicators of the harmful effects of anthropogenic disturbances in soils. H. scorparium and P. harmala proved to be good candidates for the development of phytotechnological programs aiming the revegetation of mining degraded areas.

Biological Trace Element Research, 2019

The consumption of vegetables grown on soils polluted by trace elements can cause a serious threa... more The consumption of vegetables grown on soils polluted by trace elements can cause a serious threat for animal and human health and disturb the functioning of the ecosystem. The aim of this work is to determine the concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Mn, and Zn in soils and different vegetables from market gardens of urban areas in Marrakech city in order to investigate human health risk through ingestion of contaminated vegetables. Plant transfer factor (TF), daily intake of metals (DIM), and health risk index (HRI) were calculated. The concentrations of all metals studied in the garden top soils were within the threshold values. The Cu, Zn, Co, Mn, and As concentration in the edible parts of vegetables were within the safe limits. However, Cd and Pb in Malva parviflora and Cd in Brassica rapa , and Cr and Ni in Coriandrum sativum exceeded their permissible limits. The TF for these nine metals varied between 0.01 and 1.35. The classification of TEs according to their TF is as follows: Cu > Zn > Cd > Ni > Cr > Pb > Mn > Co > As. The maximum value was recorded in Coriandrum sativum while the minimum value was recorded in Cynara cardunculus . The HRI values were within the safe limit (< one) except for Pb in Malva parviflora . This can lead to risks to the health of the human population, especially children, consuming contaminated plants. Thus, the monitoring and prevention of health risks related to the consumption of plants grown in (peri)urban areas are necessary and essential to propose recommendations to both gardeners and decision-makers.

Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2019

Soil and Sediment Contamination, 1996

We have developed a direct toxicity assay for soils, sediments and sludges that is specific for h... more We have developed a direct toxicity assay for soils, sediments and sludges that is specific for heavy-metal toxicity. In the as-say, a β-galactosidase-producingstrain of Escherichia coll is mixed with the solids sample together with a small volume (1.0 ml/0.5 to 1.0 g of solids) of eluent ...

Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

Geoderma

The pivotal role of soil as a resource is not fully appreciated by the general public. Improving ... more The pivotal role of soil as a resource is not fully appreciated by the general public. Improving education in soil science represents a challenge in a world where soil resources are under serious threat. Today’s high school students, the world’s future landowners, agriculturalists, and decision makers, have the potential to change society’s apathy towards soils issues. This research aimed to compare the level of soil education in high and/or secondary schools in forty-three countries worldwide, together comprising 62% of the world’s population. Comparisons were made between soil science content discussed in educationally appropriate textbooks via a newly proposed soil information coefficient (SIC). Interviews with teachers were undertaken to better understand how soil science education is implemented in the classroom. Statistical analyses were investigated using clustering. Results showed that gaps in soil science education were most commonly observed in countries where soil science is a non-compulsory or optional subject. Soil science concepts are predominantly a part of geography or environmental science curricula. Consequently, considerable variability in soil science education systems among investigated countries exists. Soil information coefficient‘s outcomes demonstrated that a methodological approach combining textbooks and the use of modern digitally based strategies in the educational process significantly improved soil education performances. Overall, soil science education is under-represented in schools worldwide. Dynamic new approaches are needed to improve pivotal issues such as: i) promoting collaborations and agreements between high school and universities; ii) encouraging workshops and practical exercises such as field activities; and, iii) implementing technology tools. This, in turn, will prepare the next generation to contribute meaningfully towards solving present and future soil problems.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2016

Soil heavy metal contamination resulting from mining activities constitutes a major environmental... more Soil heavy metal contamination resulting from mining activities constitutes a major environmental problem worldwide. The spread of heavy metals is often facilitated by scarce vegetation cover, so there is an urgent need to improve plant survival and establishment in these metalliferous areas. This study is aimed at the isolation and analysis of the phylogenetic relationship of culturable bacteria from the rhizosphere of metallophyte plants growing in the Kettara mine, in Marrakech, in order to select plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), which could be used in assistedphytoremediation. Bacterial isolates were grouped by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Strains were further characterized for the production of plant growth-promoting (PGP) substances, such as NH 3 , siderophores, indol-3-acetic acid (IAA), hydrogen cyanide, and extracellular enzymes, for ACC-deaminase activity, their capacity to solubilize phosphate, and for their tolerance to heavy metals and acidic pH. Rhizosphere soils were highly contaminated with Cu and Zn and presented low fertility. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the rhizobacteria were affiliated to three major groups: γ-Proteobacteria (48 %), β-Proteobacteria (17 %), and Bacilli (17 %). The most represented genera were Pseudomonas (38 %), Bacillus (10 %), Streptomyces (10 %), and Tetrathiobacter (10 %). Overall, rhizobacterial strains showed an ability to produce multiple, important PGP traits, which may be helpful when applied as plant growth promoter agents in contaminated soils. PGPR were also able to withstand high levels of metals (up to 2615.2 mg Zn l −1 , 953.29 mg Cu l −1 , and 1124.6 mg Cd l −1) and the order of metal toxicity was Cd > Cu > Zn. The rhizobacterial strains isolated in the present study have the potential to be used as efficient bioinoculants in phytoremediation strategies for the recovery of Kettara mine soils.

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 1999

Die Bodenkultur: Journal of Land Management, Food and Environment, 2017

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 1, 2012

Soil Systems, 2022

The mining industry is of major importance to Morocco’s economy. However, the abandoned pyritic m... more The mining industry is of major importance to Morocco’s economy. However, the abandoned pyritic mines are a source of potentially toxic elements that can cause the disruption of the surrounding ecosystems, constituting a huge threat to wellbeing and human health. The present study aimed to analyze the physical and chemical characteristics of different types of tailings and to investigate the microbial populations of acidophilic bacteria involved in the oxidation of pyrite. Coarse and fine tailings collected from different zones of the mine (dike and pond) at two different depths (oxidized and non-oxidized residues) were analyzed for their pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, available P, major elements, and pseudo-total metal concentrations. The abundance of acidophilic bacteria was determined, and some acidophilic bacterial strains were isolated and tested for their metal tolerance. Tailings showed a pH ≈ 2, very low nutritional content, and high conce...

The science of Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas (SUITMAs) is an int... more The science of Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas (SUITMAs) is an interdisciplinary branch of investigation within the general topic of soil science. It has its origin in several fields such as soil survey, pollution and health impacts, green infrastructure, storm and sewage drainage, and urban planning (Burghardt et al., 2015). As soil science in comparison to other scientific disciplines is relatively young, and the acknowledgment of the science of SUITMAS is even younger. In the mid-1980s, more and more soil scientists started to work in urban areas worldwide. During the 16th World Congress of Soil Science(16 WCSS), the International WG Urban Soils – Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic and Mining Areas (WG SU/SUITMA) of the ISSS was founded at August 20th, 1998 in Montpellier France. WG SUITMA recently established website: https://sites.google.com/site/wgsuitma/. It will be a platform to share knowledge about technogenic and anthropogenic soils and to exchange important information about it. It also will be a place of intercommunication and establishment of cooperation and to promote knowledge about SUITMAs as well

Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2021

Tailings are generally characterized by severe physicochemical conditions that limit the establis... more Tailings are generally characterized by severe physicochemical conditions that limit the establishment of vegetation. The present study aimed to select suitable combinations of organo-mineral amendments to improve the physicochemical, biochemical, and biological properties of spolic technosols, highly contaminated with metals. Several substrates were prepared by mixing mine tailings (MT) of an abandoned mining area with non-contaminated agricultural soil (anthrosol), green waste compost, lime, and rock phosphate at different rates: S1 — 50% of MT + 50% of agricultural soil; S2 — S1 + 3% of lime (CaCO3); S3 — S1 + 6% of rock phosphate; S4 — S1 + 10% of compost; S5 — S1 + 10% of compost + 3% of lime; S6 — S1 + 10% of compost + 6% of rock phosphate. Untreated MT and agricultural soil were analyzed immediately, and 8 months after incorporating the amendments. Heterotrophic microorganisms were not recovered from untreated MT due to the highly acidic pH and available metal concentrations. However, the addition of organo-mineral amendments ameliorated the tailings’ characteristics by increasing pH, conductivity, total organic carbon, and available P levels. Moreover, after 8 months, heterotrophic microorganisms were recovered from those substrates and dehydrogenase activity was enhanced. The incorporation of agricultural soil and green waste compost mixed either with lime (S5) or rock phosphate (S6) was the most effective treatment. Both S5 and S6 mixtures successfully reduced the environmental risk posed by tailings, suggesting the potential use of these amendments for the remediation of pyrite mines.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2020

In recent decades, the increasing number of degraded lands worldwide makes their rehabilitation e... more In recent decades, the increasing number of degraded lands worldwide makes their rehabilitation essential and crucial. Various techniques have emerged to fulfill these needs but most of them are expensive and difficult to be applied. Revegetation is a cost effective, environmental friendly, and aesthetically pleasing approach suitable for degraded areas. However, the use of edible crops, especially for areas with heavy metals (HM) contamination, is not ecologically suitable because the HM may enter the food chain. Alternatively, non-edible, fast-growing, deep-rooting, and metal-stabilizing plants with high biomass, which can produce high-value products hold a great potential and have been regarded as potential candidates of edible crops. This current review presents the benefits of using aromatic and medicinal plants (AMPs) and their associated microorganisms for revegetation of degraded sites as they are high-value economic crops. We discussed the effect of various stress on productivity of secondary metabolites in AMPs in addition to the potential health risk with human consumption of these plants and their products. A focus was also given to the effect of HM stress on the essential oil (EO) content of certain AMPs. Reported data showed that AMPs growing on HM-contaminated soils are safe products to use as they are not significantly contaminated themselves by HM.

Silicon, 2021

A local perlite mineral (P1) was used to remove the industrial dyes Remazole Brilliant 19 (RB19) ... more A local perlite mineral (P1) was used to remove the industrial dyes Remazole Brilliant 19 (RB19) and Drimarene Yellow (YD) from an aqueous solution. Prior to any investigation, P1 was characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, and electrophoretic mobility in order to establish the adsorption behavior-properties relationship. We used a sequential methodology of factorial design of experiments (DOE) and response surface methodology (RSM) to evaluate experimental variables that influence the adsorption process. Under optimal conditions, removals of RB19 and YD were achieved at respectively 95% and 88%. The validity of the process was justified by the values of three statistical indicators: Fisher’s high value (F = 58.79 for RB19, F = 34.82 for YD), the probability P (P ≤ 0.001 for DY and RB19) and the coefficient of determination R2 (0.9674 for YD and 0.9821 for RB19). The mass transfer of RB19 and YD at the solution/adsorbent interface was described using a pseudo-second-order rate law. The adsorption process for RB19 was endothermic, while it is exothermic for YD. The phyto-toxicity was also investigated to evaluate the toxicity level of YD and RB19 before and after sorption on P1 material. Overall P1 is very attractive as an efficient, low-cost and eco-friendly sorbent for the remediation of hazardous organic pollutants in industrial effluents.

Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly method for rehabilitation of mine tailing using plants and th... more Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly method for rehabilitation of mine tailing using plants and their associated rhizosphere microorganisms. Some heavy metal and salt-tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could be beneficial in alleviating soil salinity and heavy metal stress. The aim of this work is to select PGPR that could be used in phytoremediation process. Twenty-nine rhizobacteria were examined for their ability to grow at increasing concentrations of NaCl and high concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd. The results showed that seventeen rhizobacteria displayed high salinity and metal tolerance (up to 100g L− 1 NaCl, up to 5 mM Cd, 9 mM Pb, 10 mM Zn, and Cu up to 6 mM). This work showed also that salinity and metallic stress has affected bacterial growth and metabolism by increasing intracellular proline, soluble sugars, free amino-acids and exopolysaccharides production. Moreover, almost all tested bacteria maintained their PGP traits under 10 % of NaCl and multi-...

CATENA, 2020

Abstract The public green space (PGS) in urban areas presents an image of nature and its animal a... more Abstract The public green space (PGS) in urban areas presents an image of nature and its animal and plant biodiversity in the city. Due to intense urbanization in the world, pollutants such as trace elements (TE) or pathogenic microorganisms are continually emitted into the environment and pose a threat to ecosystems. The aim of this work was to assess the soil quality of PGS in the cities of Marrakech (Morocco) and Torun (Poland) through physicochemical and microbiological approaches and to assess related health risks. Eighteen soils from the most visited historic parks in Marrakech and Torun were sampled and analyzed. The results showed that content of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in Torun urban soils is about three times higher than that measured in Marrakech urban park soils. These differences are related to the naturally higher content of organic matter in the soils of temperate climate regions than in Mediterranean soils. The concentrations of trace element (TE) showed a similar trend in both cities, except for Pb in one Marrakech site, which exhibited a high concentration (400 mg Pb Kg−1 in Bab Rab Park). Soil enzymes present a high sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbances and can be used as tool to evaluate early disturbance of urban soils. The alkaline phosphatase (APHa) and urease (URa) activities are less affected by anthropogenic pressure than dehydrogenase (DHa). Slight sensitivity to TE was observed in the microbial community in the order fungi

Environmental Earth Sciences, 2019

The present work aims to investigate the toxicity of heavy metals in soil samples collected from ... more The present work aims to investigate the toxicity of heavy metals in soil samples collected from the vicinity of the former Pb–Zn mine of Jebel Ghozlane and to evaluate reprocessing performances of mine tailings. The research was undertaken using two ecotoxicity tests: (1) MetPAD™ biotest Kit and (2) standardized germination test using wheat seeds (Triticum durum). Water extraction test was carried out to evaluate the potential availability of Pb, Zn and Cd in soil samples. Although their total levels in soil were found to be high, their water extracted values were relatively low (Pb 7–100 µg L−1, Zn 15–238 µg L−1 and Cd 1–5 µg L−1). The high germination percentages (GPs) of wheat seeds indicate that all soil samples tested are not toxic. However, the toxicity of soil–water extracts, as determined by MetPAD™ biotest which is specific for heavy metal toxicity, showed that two of six soil samples exhibited moderate toxicity. The toxicity was related to the relatively high concentrations of water-extractable Zn, Pb and Cd in these two samples. Laboratory flotation tests were used to evaluate the separation ability of Pb and Zn minerals from the mine tailings materials. Results showed that this method allows satisfactory reduction of Pb (95% recovery) and, to a less extent, of Zn (42% recovery) from mine tailings, that could be used as a mitigation strategy for heavy-metal contaminated soil.

Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2018

In this note we provide a characterization of ordered Bell polynomials and its type B analog by u... more In this note we provide a characterization of ordered Bell polynomials and its type B analog by using a family of differential operator associated with tangent function.

Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2019

Purpose Mining areas are low-quality habitats for macro- and microorganisms’ development, mainly ... more Purpose Mining areas are low-quality habitats for macro- and microorganisms’ development, mainly due to the degradation of the soil quality by metal pollution. The present work aimed to analyze the influence of metal contamination and of plant species on the rhizospheric microbial communities of four indigenous metallophytes ( Ononis natrix , Haloxylon scoparium, Peganum harmala , and Aizoon canariense ) growing along a metal contamination gradient in Kettara mine near Marrakech, Morocco. Materials and methods In pyrrhotite mining areas (Kettara mine, Morocco), rhizosphere soil samples were collected from four predominant indigenous metallophytes ( O. natrix , H. scoparium , P. harmala , and A. canariense ) growing along a metal contamination gradient (ZC, control zone; Z1, high metal contamination; Z2, moderate metal contamination; Z3, low metal contamination). Microbial communities were analyzed by using microbial counts and by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The physicochemical properties (pH, conductivity, total organic carbon, nitrogen, P Olsen, and metal concentrations) of soils were also determined. Results and discussion The physicochemical analysis revealed that rhizospheric soils from Z1, Z2, and Z3 were relatively poor in nutrients as they presented low levels of total organic carbon and nitrogen, organic matter and available P. Moreover, these rhizospheric soils showed high concentrations of metals, especially Cu and Pb, which significantly reduced the abundance of the different groups of soil microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes) and the activity of soil dehydrogenase. The analysis of bacterial communities by DGGE revealed that bacterial diversity was not negatively affected by metal contamination being higher in the most contaminated area (Z1). Conclusions Overall, the microbial abundance, the composition, and the diversity of rhizospheric bacterial communities were more influenced by the environmental factors in sampling zones than by plant cover. Microbial counts and enzymatic activity were both systematically affected throughout the metal gradient, evidencing as good indicators of the harmful effects of anthropogenic disturbances in soils. H. scorparium and P. harmala proved to be good candidates for the development of phytotechnological programs aiming the revegetation of mining degraded areas.

Biological Trace Element Research, 2019

The consumption of vegetables grown on soils polluted by trace elements can cause a serious threa... more The consumption of vegetables grown on soils polluted by trace elements can cause a serious threat for animal and human health and disturb the functioning of the ecosystem. The aim of this work is to determine the concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Mn, and Zn in soils and different vegetables from market gardens of urban areas in Marrakech city in order to investigate human health risk through ingestion of contaminated vegetables. Plant transfer factor (TF), daily intake of metals (DIM), and health risk index (HRI) were calculated. The concentrations of all metals studied in the garden top soils were within the threshold values. The Cu, Zn, Co, Mn, and As concentration in the edible parts of vegetables were within the safe limits. However, Cd and Pb in Malva parviflora and Cd in Brassica rapa , and Cr and Ni in Coriandrum sativum exceeded their permissible limits. The TF for these nine metals varied between 0.01 and 1.35. The classification of TEs according to their TF is as follows: Cu > Zn > Cd > Ni > Cr > Pb > Mn > Co > As. The maximum value was recorded in Coriandrum sativum while the minimum value was recorded in Cynara cardunculus . The HRI values were within the safe limit (< one) except for Pb in Malva parviflora . This can lead to risks to the health of the human population, especially children, consuming contaminated plants. Thus, the monitoring and prevention of health risks related to the consumption of plants grown in (peri)urban areas are necessary and essential to propose recommendations to both gardeners and decision-makers.

Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2019

Soil and Sediment Contamination, 1996

We have developed a direct toxicity assay for soils, sediments and sludges that is specific for h... more We have developed a direct toxicity assay for soils, sediments and sludges that is specific for heavy-metal toxicity. In the as-say, a β-galactosidase-producingstrain of Escherichia coll is mixed with the solids sample together with a small volume (1.0 ml/0.5 to 1.0 g of solids) of eluent ...